Knowledge-Based Dynamic Capabilities for Sustainable Innovation: The Case of the Green Plastic Project

Abstract

A large number of recent studies show that sustainable innovation requires specific and new dynamic capabilities related to a new form of collaboration with suppliers, customers, research institutes and other related partners. These sources and external knowledges and competences require new skills in managing relationships and knowledge integration. Considering this gap, the purpose of this paper is to identify how knowledge-based dynamic capabilities (KBDCs) influence the process of developing sustainable innovations. To meet this objective, we use a procedural approach from the reconstruction of the green plastic project, in its R&D trajectory, from retrospective interviews and secondary data. Our results point to a set of practices (microfoundations) essential in the development process of sustainable innovations. We also identify the changes experienced in the knowledge capabilities of the company throughout the development of the project; this component provides the originality of this paper.